No Federally sponsored research or development is or was connected with this invention.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is a device designed for, but not limited to, chronic kidney failure patients able to utilize continuous peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) or continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis (CCPD). The invention allows a patient to comfortably secure or replace, without the use of tape, sterilized gauze at the point where the catheter exits the abdomen.
2. Description of Prior Art
For chronic kidney failure patients, peritoneal dialysis may need to be carried out at a frequency ranging from several times a week to several times a day. After a peritoneal catheter has been permanently inserted into the abdomen, many of these patients are able to carry out the dialysis themselves at home.
During the peritoneal dialysis process, the catheter is first used for transferring dialysate or other solution into the patient""s peritoneum. During this phase of the process, the portion of the catheter outside the abdomen is connected to either a bag of solution or a cyclic solution transfer machine. The catheter is then disconnected from the solution source. After the solution has absorbed toxins in the peritoneum, the portion of the catheter outside of the body is connected to a drain transfer line to transfer toxin-laden fluids from the peritoneum. This whole process typically lasts from a matter of hours to overnight.
After draining, the catheter is once again disconnected. Because small amounts of bodily fluids often seep from a stoma through which the catheter passes, the patient""s next task is to clean the portion of the catheter outside of the body, as well as this stoma and the skin surface proximate to it (the xe2x80x9cexit sitexe2x80x9d), and to place there a clean swatch of sterilized gauze. The gauze not only provides seepage absorption, but also reduces odors and helps provides a sanitary environment around the stoma. This gauze is normally kept in place over the exit site by being taped directly to the skin with surgical tape. Next the portion of the disconnected catheter line outside of the patient (the xe2x80x9ccatheter protrusionxe2x80x9d) is taped to the body so that it doesn""t dangle irritatingly or get snagged on something and cause internal bleeding. Once this has been done, the patient is free to go about his or her daily activities until the next time dialysis is called for.
The problems associated with taping to the skin either the sterilized gauze or the catheter protrusion are as follows:
1. Taping can be irritating to some skin, especially when performed repeatedly in the same area.
2. Taping can be difficult. Tape can run out.
3. Taping can be time consuming for the patient performing dialysis.
4. Health care workers must take time to un-wrap and re-tape gauze over the exit site each time the site is inspected.
5. Taping gauze over an exit site will not, by itself, keep the catheter from moving relative to the stoma, with such movement causing possible injury.
At the exit site is a variable, three-dimensional topology created by the stoma/skin surface and the relatively thick and stiff type of catheter used for dialysis. Physicians require replaceable sterilized gauze adjacent to the exit site, and there is no obvious way, based upon prior art, to secure replaceable gauze at such a difficult exit site, other than through the use of tape. The current art calls for first shaping sterilized gauze around the exit site topology, and then taping the edges of the gauze directly to the skin while the catheter is as immobile as possible relative to the stoma.
Prerequisite to any new method of keeping the gauze securely in place at the exit site is still being able to keep the end of the catheter protrusion immobile. The end of the catheter protrusion must not dangle or snag. The common method of keeping the end of the catheter protrusion immobile calls for taping it directly to the torso. However, since the ultimate objective is to eliminate the use of tape, it is important to note several inventions have been documented which apply to this prerequisite immobilization of the end of the catheter protrusion:
In September 1990, Endo patented a xe2x80x9cPerirtoneal Dialysis Catheter Beltxe2x80x9d that consisted of a fabric or paper belt or band, which fastened around the abdomen, near the exit site. The belt had a pouch, which could be used to house and secure the very end of the catheter protrusion. However, the invention did not address the problem of taping gauze over the exit site, as addressed by this specification. To use Endo""s invention, gauze must still be taped over the exit site.
In May 1991, Lynn et al. patented A xe2x80x9cSecuring Device and Method,xe2x80x9d consisting of a strap with hook and loop fasteners at each end, as well as a method for wrapping it around a limb. Using this method, however, is best suited to limbs, where the line runs along the length of the limb. Using this method, such a strap could conceivably be wrapped around the torso a sufficient number of times to secure the catheter protrusion positioned vertically up the torso, then wrapped a final time around and fastened again. The number and position of the windings around the torso would make this uncomfortable and would not hold the catheter securely through a wide range of motion.
In April, 1993, Tuman patented an xe2x80x9cEndo-tracheal Tube support Device,xe2x80x9d also for securing lines running up the torso of the patient, rather than across the torso, as is needed. Similarly the xe2x80x98Band for Securing and Aligning Medical Tubingxe2x80x9d patented by Madden et al. in September 1993 and the xe2x80x9cCatheter Tube Holder Strapxe2x80x9d patented by Hasslinger in February 1986 and a xe2x80x9cCatheter Securing Devicexe2x80x9d patented by Womack in November 1983 also secure lines running up the torso rather than across the torso. Although the Hubbard invention includes a gauze element, the gauze is (1) neither replaceable nor sterilized as required for sanitary purposes at an exit site, and (2) not intentioned to cover a peritoneal catheter exit site, where any application of Hubbard""s invention would encounter the aforementioned topological problems.
A xe2x80x9cGastrostomy Beltxe2x80x9d patented by Marut in April 1988 correctly addresses the need to secure the end of the catheter protrusion across the torso in a belt pouch, rather than along the torso""s length. It provides to have the pouch made form an absorbent material. However, Marut does not put forth the idea of securing without tape replaceable sterilized gauze at the exit site, nor does the invention contribute to the this notion.
Although the inventions of Endo et al. and Marut could be used to provide the prerequisite immobilization of the end of the catheter protrusion, neither of these approaches addresses the elimination of taping the catheter and sterilized gauze at the exit site as presented here.
No previous invention either recognizes or serendipitously solves any of the aforementioned problems associated with taping gauze over a catheter exit site.
The invention is a device consisting of (1) an elastic strap which can be fastened into a torso belt using Velcro(copyright) fasteners, this torso belt having a block of foam rubber, or similar material attached beneath one end of it, this block being capable of contouring to the topology of the exit site as it exists after replaceable sterilized gauze has been placed over the exit site, and (2) a pouch on the torso belt, starting at the exit site covering and running the along the belt, of sufficient length to contain within the pouch all of a patient""s catheter protrusion, the pouch opening once at its top along the length of the pouch and again through a slit at the exit site covering. It is the block of foam rubber, thus strapped over the exit site, which keeps the replaceable gauze in place without the use of tape, so long as the end the catheter protrusion is kept immobile by placing it in its pouch.
To don the device, first the end of the patient""s catheter protrusion is threaded through the slit and into the pouch. Next, the patient holds sterilized gauze in place over the exit site. With the foam rubber being positioned directly over the exit site topology, the belt is fastened loosely around the torso. This loose fastening immobilizes the end of the catheter protrusion relative to both the removable gauze and the stoma. The patient releases the gauze and the belt is tightened to secure. At once the catheter line is entirely protected and disabled from dangling or snagging and the gauze is held in place over the exit site by the foam rubber. At no time is any tape employed, thereby eliminated associated problems.
At any time, the catheter""s connector is available for use by simply opening the pouch at its top, and accessing it. The exit site is available for examination by simply loosening the belt slightly and sliding the belt up or down the torso.
The device is very particularly combined from three constituent parts: (1) a torso belt, (2) a pouch along that belt, and (3) a block of foam rubber, or similar material shapeable to the exit site topology. Whenever the device is donned as heretofore described, the functionality of each of the three individual parts combine to form a new and unique fourth functionality characteristic of the device as a whole. Namely, this new and unique functionality secures, without the use of surgical tape, replaceable sterilized gauze over a peritoneal catheter stoma, and does so while allowing the patient""s catheter extension to be either connected, or disconnected and secured to the torso.
The new and unique functionality provides the user a new and unique benefit by solving the gauze taping problems which prior art has not recognized or solved. In addition, the invention allows the catheter to be connected and disconnected without adding or removing any tape to the torso, thereby eliminating not only gauze taping, but all taping associated with peritoneal dialysis.
Neither this noted new and unique functionality nor its benefit is a sum of any collection of functions and benefits of the device""s three constituent parts, as none of the functions and benefits of the device""s parts suggest or anticipate either the invention""s new and unique functionality or its benefit. On the contrary, the invention is not obvious, requiring the discovery of the taping problem, a characterization of the exit site topography, and a device especially designed for the new and unique purpose of solving the taping problem.